Morrigan Crow is a Cursed Child. Cursed as in that's her title. She wasn't cursed by anyone in particular, but more over cursed because she was born on Eventide, which happens to be the unluckiest day of the year. It's well known that children born on Eventide never seem to live past their 11th birthday. That must mean they're cursed right? Where the people in her city seem to think so and because of that anything that ever goes wrong, she gets blamed for whether she was present for the event or not. Her father and stepmother both seem eager to get on her with death as the eve of her 11th birthday draws near and all Morrigan can think of is how she does not want The Hunt (the creatures that will bring her death) to arrive at all.

The other spectacular event that is set to happen is the distribution of apprenticeships. Morrigan is at the age where it is time for her to begin to learn about a particular school or business. In order for this to happen, a bid must be placed in her honor. Given her impending death, no one expects her to get any bids, but *gasp* she receives 4! While she is sure that there must be some mistake, it appears that two of the bids are very real. This is what leads her to Jupiter North, a peculiar man who tells her that as long as she comes with him to Nevermoor, a free city, she won't be dying on Eventide. What does she do? Go with him of course! This is what sets us down the course that the book follows. Nevermoor promises to be like nothing Morrigan has ever experienced before. While trying to determine why Jupiter thinks she belongs in both Nevermoor and the Wundrous Society, Morrigan has to contend with a mysterious stranger and fight to earn a spot in the only place that really feels like home. All the while, the other mysterious benefactor's messenger continues to lurk around the hotel will Morrigan is now living, hoping that she'll give up on this offer and choose to apprentice under his master instead. Who the hell is this guy and what does he want?

What was great about this book is that I think the story is magical no matter what your age is. It's not magical in a whimsical way or even in an HP sort of way, but more so in an....odd way. I think that if you mixed HP with Miss Peregrine's then this is the tale that you'd get. It's got a dark quality to it that you wouldn't immediately guess based on the cover. There's always the looming threat of Morrigan's death, the possibility that she doesn't have a power, and the dark whispers of the Wundersmith floating throughout the book. It's clear that other's around Morrigan know more than they're letting on and that the strange happenings in the hotel have to have some sort of connection to her, but does it really have to do with her curse or is it something else? Morrigan as a character is extremely likable. She's looking for her place to fit it, she doesn't think she quite belong and yes she doesn't always listen, but I think you can't help but to root for her as she moves through both the trials and navigating this new world. Once you add Hawthorne (who becomes her best friend) to the mix, they become the dynamic duo.

Another interesting piece of all this is the fact that Morrigan faces the chances of being deported because she's not an actual citizen of the Free City. There's one police officer in particular that's always waiting around every corner because he's sure she's a "dirty immigrant who doesn't deserve to sponge off of the Free City's resources." Sound familiar?

Audiobook wise, I think the author did a great job. Each character had their own distinct voice which seemed to fit into their personalities and I think she got the tone of events just right for majority of the reading.

I honestly can't wait to pick up the next book.